Sakura Wars Mechatalk: Sakura Taisen 2 - Iris Chateaubriand

6th Sakura Taisen 2 Mechatalk is here! Without being realized we are almost done with this particular series which started from last month. To prepare what is coming up next for this Mechatalk series, the 6th Sakura Taisen Mechatalk will feature the youngest member of Teikoku Kagekidan, Iris Chateaubriand! Do not be fooled by her tender age though as this French Lass is full fledged member of the Floral assault squad through and through!

 Iris Chateaubriand was the only full blooded foreigner member of Teikoku Kagekidan in Sakura Taisen 1 hailing from the land of France. Born with a very High Latent Spiritual power, Iris really had trouble controlling her power which cause Poltergeist phenomenon in her surrounding which distressed her parents as they are unable to do anything to help Iris. As one of the few reliable organizations that are experienced in handling matters related to Spiritual power, Teikoku Kagekidan offered to take in Iris and help her control her Spiritual power. 

 Iris is by far the youngest member of Teikoku Kagekidan as she was taken in when she was around 7-8 years old and behaves gloomy most of the time with a Teddy Bear which she named Jean-Paul being the only companion she has. Regardless, Iris by far the one who possess the highest potential when it comes to Spiritual power which manifested through being the only one who can move her Koubu by teleportation and even heal her teammates while dealing AOE Psychic damage. By the event of Sakura Taisen 1, Iris was 9 years old and throughout the story, Ogami played a role in helping Iris open up and actually control her spiritual power even better to the extent of making her pilot Koubu units properly for the first time.

 By the time of Sakura Taisen 2, Iris has turned 11 years old and become more cheerful thanks to the help of Ogami. In Sakura Taisen 2, Iris is one of the earliest Teikoku Kagekidan member who rejoin Ogami in combat along with Sakura. Iris also played a significant role in helping Reni, the new member of Teikoku Kagekidan in adjusting her new life being her closest friend and the most distraught over her being taken to enemy side. But eventually Iris is also the major contributor for Reni to regain her consciousness overcoming the powerful hypnosis by the Black Demon society Liutenants. Regardless Iris crush toward Ogami is still going very strong as she views him as the coolest man and highly trust him despite aversions toward strangers.

In Sakura Taisen 2, Iris also gets to reunite with her parents after year of separation which the player get to see should they choose Iris as their Main Heroine. Through this turn of event, Iris relationship with her parents are settled out properly as both love their daughter unconditionally and remorseful of unable doing anything directly to help Iris. In this particular event, there will be a very hilarious interaction depending on the response that Ogami gave while helping Iris write a letter to her parents in the earlier chapter. Should the player chose to have Ogami address himself as Iris lover in the letter, there will be some awkward moment for Ogami despite both Iris parents have positive opinion of him yet think Iris is still too young to have any lover of her own.

 In my opinion Iris is easily the weakest character in Sakura Taisen 2 when it comes to Gameplay and storyline. If she is not the main Heroine that Ogami pick, she barely damage any enemy with her attack due to getting nerfed after being rather OP in ST1. Her route storyline also very awkward and rather weak ending compared to other Heroine unless you are truly a fan of Iris which will automatically put a weird label on you. But I remembered her parting letter with Ogami in ST2 is quite hilarious as her worst fear come true as Ogami got himself chased after by Maidens in Paris.